Posts published in World

Facebook is trying to coax “news deserts” into bloom with the second major expansion of a tool that exposes people to more local news and information. But the social network confesses that it still has a lot to learn. The social media giant said Thursday it is expanding its “Today In” service to 6,000 cities and towns across the U.S., up from 400 before. Launched in early 2018, the service lets Facebook users opt…

Six months after a gunman killed 51 people at two Christchurch mosques, New Zealand’s government is planning further restrictions to gun ownership. A bill introduced to Parliament on Friday would create a register to track all the guns in the country and require gun owners to renew their gun licenses every five years instead of every 10. It would also place new responsibilities on doctors to notify police if they…

Stocks were broadly higher in Asia on Friday as investors stepped up buying on hopes for an easing of tensions in the costly trade war between the U.S. Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 1.1% to 21,988.29 while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong climbed 0.6% to 27,262.80. Sydney’s S&P ASX 200 added 0.2% points to 6,669.20. Markets in Shanghai, Taiwan and South Korea were closed for holidays. India’s Sensex was flat…

The speaker of Britain’s lower house of parliament has made it abundantly clear he is not going quietly into retirement. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow used a speech Thursday night to warn Prime Minister Boris Johnson to expect Parliament to take aggressive action to make sure its legislation designed to block a “no-deal” Brexit is respected. He says he will allow “procedural creativity” in making sure Johnson does not…

A tennis tournament and a London musical are the latest events postponed in Hong Kong out of concerns over safety and disruptions from pro-democracy protests. K-pop concerts, Chanel fashion shows and international conferences have been canceled, postponed or moved out of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory during more than three months of demonstrations. More rallies are expected this weekend. On Friday, organizers said the Hong Kong Open women’s tennis tournament scheduled…

Chinese families are having to rethink menu options as pork prices soar despite government efforts to rebuild herds decimated by African swine fever and large-scale closures of pig farms for environmental reasons. Liu Min, a 61-year-old retired cleaning lady, went ahead and bought a small chunk of pork that cost her 21 yuan ($3) during a recent visit to a local fresh market. That’s nearly twice what it usually costs.…

Barhoum Saleh’s town is surrounded by Jewish settlements, the sign above his roadside mechanic shop is in Hebrew, most of his customers are Israeli and he needs an Israeli permit to visit the beach a half hour’s drive away. But unlike his Jewish neighbors, he can’t vote in next week’s elections. Saleh is among the 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank who have no voice in choosing Israel’s next…

Pope Francis will visit Thailand and Japan in November in a visit expected to highlight his call for complete nuclear disarmament and honor the small Catholic communities in each country. The Vatican confirmed the Nov. 19-26 trip, and its diplomatic representative in Thailand, Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam, announced the Thai stop on Friday. Francis will be in Thailand on Nov. 20-23 before heading to Japan, where government spokesman Yoshihide Suga…

Czech President Milos Zeman has caused outrage after saying he wants to revoke his country’s recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. The 74-year-old, who is known for his inflammatory remarks, made the comment during his second day of an official visit to Serbia on Wednesday. “I am not a dictator,” Zeman told Serbian President Alexander Vucic, indicating that he would not act unilaterally. “But what I can do –…

This is the world’s first ever magnetic resonance image showing a mother and child’s bond. The image is of neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe kissing her two month old son. The child’s brain appears to be smoother and darker. This is because it has significantly less white matter. White matter is comprised of myelin, which is fatty tissue that acts as insulation for the wires that communicate messages inside your brain. Kissing…